Shoplifting

Shoplifting is one of the criminal behaviors when a person acts as a customer in a shop then goes on to steal certain merchandise (Schmalleger, 2011). One of the factors that lead to shoplifting is peer pressure. Many of the young kids engage in these risky behaviors due to influence by either a group of same age or size. Another factor is boredom. When one is idle, he or she may indulge in activities that are not good. Shoplifters may go on to do so in order to fulfill their own basic needs. Additionally, a person’s depression or anxiety may lead to shoplifting. These acts are mainly done by young people (Schmalleger, 2011).

Identifying a shoplifter is not an easy task because they are of different ages, races, backgrounds and sizes. Internal thefts in retail shops are mainly done by the employees carrying out stolen merchandise in order to hide multifaceted schemes that require document manipulation. Mostly, the employees who indulge themselves in such crimes are normally employed on a short term basis. Internal theft is particularly found in retail areas that have high sales as well as high management turnover.

Schmalleger (2011) points out that one of the ways currently used in addressing shoplifting is engaging technology. By using computerized systems, merchandise is easily tracked and thefts done by the employees are easily identified. Installing security systems in a retail store makes shoplifting a more difficult task.

The available evidence supports the fact that shoplifting is one of the early offenses of a given criminal who breaks into properties. Such evidence means that shoplifting is a type of gateway offense. Even though shoplifting was found to be predominant, there were no signs that it could likely be one of the most serious offenses in the world.  The offense done by the shoplifters is not bounded by the lawbreaker’s age, but it only needs slight training or skill to be successful in various places. It is not expected that the act of shoplifting creates an incentive for escalting involvement levels in property offenses that were termed to be serious. However it fulfills sensational and material requirements amid a crowd of people who are not specialized in the offenses they conduct.

In conclusion, many of the offenders in the prisons started by shoplifting and then went on to serious crimes against someone’s properties. Many shoplifting lawbreakers move to serious property crimes at a high rate. Many of the lawbreakers indulge themselves in shoplifting if it seems to be a profitable and attractive act in their life.